TheNewsGuru

Tag: COVID-19

  • BREAKING: University provost, deputy test positive for COVID-19

    BREAKING: University provost, deputy test positive for COVID-19

    The Provost of the University of Ibadan College of Medicine, Professors Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa and his deputy, Obafunke Denloye have tested positive to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Olapade-Olaopa made this known in a Whatsapp group message to his colleagues Sunday morning.

    “Dear colleagues, I wish to inform you that the deputy provost and I tested positive for the COVID-19 following the tests done on Friday.

    “Although we are both asymptomatic, we have gone into self-isolation for the 14 days while our contacts are being observed closely to determine if they should also be tested,” he told his colleagues.

    It is, however, unsure whether the duo are new cases in Oyo State or parts of the four cases confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control for the State last night.

    Recall that the NCDC confirmed eight new cases of COVID-19 with 2 cases in the federal capital territory (FCT), 4 in Oyo, 1 in Kaduna and 1 in Osun State.

    As at 10:40 pm 28th March there are 97 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria with 1 death.

    Earlier, Prof Jesse Otegbayo, Chief Medical Director University College Hospital, Ibadan, has revealed that he tested positive for coronavirus.

    He made this known in an announcement personally signed by him on Sunday morning.

    The statement read, “Unfortunately, my result returned positive on Saturday afternoon and I remain in isolation as I am not symptomatic.

    “All staff who have been in contact with me and other participants during this period have been advised to immediately proceed on self-isolation pending the time they get tested.”

  • NCDC clears air test kits donated by Jack Ma are being sold

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has rebutted claims that test kits donated by Chinese business mogul Jack Ma are being sold for different purposes.

    Recall that Nigeria recently received a consignment of medical supplies donated by Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba

    The Chinese billionaire had used his foundation to forward millions of face masks, testing kits and other protective equipment to Africa as the continent battles to arrest the spread of COVID-19.

    A cargo operated by Ethiopian Airlines, which has been in charge of distribution of the material on the continent, delivered the consignment.

    However, unconfirmed reports had it that the COVID -19 tests kits sent by Jack are being sold.

    https://twitter.com/i_am_adunnii/status/1244198591385800704?s=19

    However, NCDC responded by saying, “the test kits the Government of Nigeria has received can only be used in molecular laboratories. These are being distributed by NCDC to the six #COVID19 testing laboratories in Nigeria

  • COVID-19: Kyari has served Nigeria with all his strength, pray for him, MURIC urges Nigerians

    COVID-19: Kyari has served Nigeria with all his strength, pray for him, MURIC urges Nigerians

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged Nigerians to pray for quick recovery of Mr Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    MURIC also urged Nigerians to pray for Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and others, who have been infected with Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola made the call in a statement in Lagos on Sunday.

    “Kyari tested positive for the Coronavirus few days ago while El-Rufai announced his status on Saturday. Both of them deserve prayers from Nigerians. They are both tested and trusted. Both of them are the embodiments of loyalty, trust, dedication and service to humanity.

    “Kyari has served Nigeria with all his strength. He proved a most loyal and dedicated aide to Buhari particularly during the latter’s prolonged illness.

    “El-Rufai has exhibited exemplary leadership, uncommon courage and immense love for residents of Kaduna State,” he said.

    He said that Nigerians needed to remember those infected in their supplications every hour of the day.

    “Everyone in general is with you. We are confident that Almighty Allah, the great healer, will heal you and you will emerge from isolation to continue your good work,” he prayed.

  • Boris Johnson sends letter to Britons, warns ‘things will get worse’

    Boris Johnson sends letter to Britons, warns ‘things will get worse’

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged Britons to stay home and outlined stricter measures yet to come in the fight against the coronavirus.

    “It’s important for me to level with you – we know things will get worse before they get better,” Johnson wrote in a letter issued by Downing Street.

    The missive is to be delivered to 30 million households this week.

    “We are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal,” Johnson asserted.

    “At this moment of national emergency, I urge you, please, to stay at home, protect the NHS (National Health Service) and save lives,” he added.

    Stay-at-home and strict social distancing rules must be obeyed, warned Johnson, who has himself contracted the coronavirus.

    “These rules must be observed. So, if people break the rules, the police will issue fines and disperse gatherings,” he added.

    The number of deaths from the coronavirus in Britain has risen to more than 1,000 with over 17,000 infections.

    Britain delayed imposing social-distancing measures on its population to stem the spread of coronavirus until last week.

    On Friday, both Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced they had tested positive for the virus.

    Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, also has the virus.

    Johnson, 55, has said he has mild symptoms including a temperature and a persistent cough.

    He is self-isolating and working from home.

  • Immigration Boss tests positive for COVID-19

    Immigration Boss tests positive for COVID-19

    The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports DCI Sunday James, NIS Public Relations Officer, made this known in a statement on Sunday.

    The statement reads: “The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede MFR health status with regard to Corona Virus and his self isolation since he returned from UK.

    “As a top official of government he has adhered to the NCDC instructions to self isolate and undergo test.

    “The result of the test came out positive, hence the need to make it public, he convey his goodwill to all and he is in stable condition responding to treatment.

    “The Comptroller General is active and directing as expected the affairs of the service online, while the Deputy Comptroller General Overseeing the administration of the service is in touch online to keep service activities running within this period.

    “The Nigeria Immigration Service community will continue to deliver on its mandate for the nation even in this trying times as we pray the whole world get over it, Nigeria inclusive”.

  • COVID-19 could kill millions in Africa without immediate action, UN warns

    United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres fears “millions and millions” of coronavirus cases in Africa, where the youth will not be spared.

    He wants wealthy countries to help the developing world, for their own sake.

    Guterres told Radio France International (RFI) that Africa should be the priority of the international community as the continent does have the resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Ninety percent of the cases are in the G20 countries which hold 80 percent of the global economy. They shouldn’t be working alone, each in their corner, but in a coordinated manner to find treatments and vaccines to put at the world’s disposal,” he said.

    According to him, at least three trillion US dollars, around 10 percent of the world’s GDP, is needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus for vulnerable countries in the Global South.

    “This is not a financial crisis like in 2008,” he said.

    According to figures published by the African Union, there are 3,924 cases of Covid-19 in Africa and 117 recorded deaths across 46 countries.

    “Africa is in urgent need of test kits, masks, ventilators, protective suits for health workers,” said Guterres. “We can still prevent the worst in Africa but without a massive mobilisation we will have millions and millions of people contaminated, which means millions of deaths,” adding that Africa’s booming youth population will not be spared.

    Guterres said the risk of the coronavirus mutating is higher given the fast rate at which it is spreading globally.

    “As the virus mutates, all the investment we are putting into vaccines will be for nothing because the virus will then travel from the South back to the North. So it is in the interest of countries in the North to help the South,” he said.

  • JUST IN: [COVID 19] South West worst hit as NCDC announces fresh eight cases, toll jumps to 97

    JUST IN: [COVID 19] South West worst hit as NCDC announces fresh eight cases, toll jumps to 97

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control [NCDC] on Saturday night announced new cases of the novel Coronavirus [COVID-19].

    According to a tweet on its verified Twitter handle; “eight new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 2 in FCT, 4 in Oyo, 1 in Kaduna and 1 in Osun State

    As at 10:40 pm 28th March there are 97 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with 1 death.”

  • COVID-19: Motorists defy intra-state and inter-state ban in Niger

    COVID-19: Motorists defy intra-state and inter-state ban in Niger

    Commercial vehicles plying routes within Niger and motorists on transit to other states have defied restriction of movement order by the state government to curtail the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) check in Minna on Saturday reveals that many commercial vehicles resisted the order which started on March 28.

    NAN reports that the vehicles apprehended by the task force on the restriction order include articulated vehicle, motorcycles, cars and buses.

    Malam Yusuf Mohammed, a commercial driver, who was apprehended by the task force, said he was going to Lambata from Kontagora.

    Mohammed, who overloaded the car with goods and commuters, also had four passengers at the back seat and two in the front seat including himself making seven.

    NAN reports that the government recommended that such cars should carry three persons including the driver, making four.

    He said that he was aware of the restriction order but went ahead to defy it to make money.

    Mohammed said that the Kontagora branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were he registered has not sensitised members on the number of passengers that the vehicle can carry per trip.

    Also, Alhaji Ali Danzaki, an articulated vehicle driver, said he was conveying dry fish from Zuru in Kebbi to Onitsha in Anambra.

    Danzaki pleaded with the task force to let him go, saying that he was aware of the restriction but had a breakdown on the way.

    He argued that the fish was part of food allowed by government under the restriction order.

    Similarly, Mr Onyinyechi Ahube, said he was going to the Chanchaga water works to fetch water.

    Ahube, who was aware of the situation said that there was no water in his area in Chanchaga.

    Malam Useni Usman, treasurer, branch III NURTW, Minna said that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) sensitised their members over the COVID-19 at the Abdulsalami Abubakar motor park in Minna on Friday.

    Usman said that the NSCDC told members on the need to respect government order to stay at home from 10am to 8pm daily toward curtailing the spread of the pandemic.

    He said that members from the branch of the union had since complied with the government order restricting movement.

    Efforts by NAN to speak with the leader of the task force was not successful as he declined comment and refused to give his name.

    NAN recalls that Dr Mohammed Sidi, the state commissioner for Health, had announced government decision to restrict movement of people within the state including those on transit from March 28 as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Sidi said that members of the task force had been deployed to Magama, Mokwa, Suleja, Lapai and Rafi Local Government Areas that share boundaries with Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara states and Abuja.

  • #WhereisBuhari: Keyamo gives condition for Buhari to address Nigerians over COVID-19 pandemic

    Minister of State for Labour, Productivity and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN on Saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari will not address Nigerians just because some people on social media wants him to.

    Recall that some Nigerians on Twitter had recently launched the #WhereisBuhari campaign insisting that the president must address them with assurances of what is administration is doing and has somebody so far to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

    The minister noted that the team of the seasoned Nigerians appointed by the president on the COVID-19 pandemic are doing their job as expected and should be allowed to do so without unnecessary distractions by some people trying to play politics by demanding that the president himself address Nigerians.

    Keyamo said this on husband verified Twitter handle on Saturday evening. He said the president will only make a formal address when and if the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 deem it fit.

    See his tweets below:

  • TNG COVID-19 WATCH 9: Alarming development in Nigeria, as Obasanjo donates mansion

    TNG COVID-19 WATCH 9: Alarming development in Nigeria, as Obasanjo donates mansion

    Good day welcome to TNG’s Covid-19 watch as we on a daily basis bring up to date developments on the pandemic in Nigeria and across the globe in snipets.

    Emman Ovuakporie, Regional Editor, TNG.

    The most alarming development in Nigeria in the last 24hours is the information from the Health Commissioner of Lagos, Prof. Akin Abayomi.

    He simply told Nigerians what they least prayed to hear when he said in the coming weeks 39,000 people could test positive to Covid-19.

    Health Commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi, at a news conference disclosed that about 3,000 primary contacts of those infected with the disease were being traced on a daily basis.

    This is truly alarming as the world stands still over this scourge.

    Obj’s beautiful donation

    Elder statesman and former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has donated his hilltop mansion in Ogun state to isolate people feared to have contracted Covid-19.

    A nice one tfrom the former two time head of state of Nigeria.

    WHO’s warning to Nigeria

    A stitch in time saves nine as WHO insists Nigeria must quickly curb the spread of Covid-19 before is too late.

    Speaking on Friday from WHO heaquarters in Geneva, DG of the World body Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said Nigeria needs to act fast and quickly curb the spread across the country.

    This warning is timely as corporate bodies and well meaning Nigerians are already generously donating to help combat the pandemic.

    Davido’s fiancee

    After arriving from a foreign trip Nigeria’s music maestro David Adeleke popularly known as Davido tested negative but his fiancee, Chioma caught it. We at TNG wish his fiancee a rapid recovery.

    List of donors

    Donation from captains of industries is commendable to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria

    1. Aliko Dangote – 1Billion naira
    2. Abdulsamad Rabiu – 1Billion naira
    3. Femi Otedola – 1Billion naira
    4. Tony O Elumelu – 1Billion naira
    5. Herbert O. Wigwe – 1Billion naira
    6. Segun Agbaje -. 1Billion naira
    7. Jim Ovia – 1Billion naira

    Corporate organisations:

    1. Access Bank – 1Billion naira
    2. GT Bank – 1Billion naira
    3. Zenith Banks – 1Billion naira
    4. NNPC (under FG) -. 11 Billion naira

    The donation from the below is highly commendable too:

    1. Atiku Abubakar – 50million naira
    2. TuFace Idibia. – 10million naira

    Federal Government donated N10 billion to Lagos State Government.

    Sanwo-Olu’s relief package for 200,000 households

    This is about the most heart warming development in the last 24hours in Nigeria since the outbreak of the scourge.

    The Lagos State governor won the heart of many Nigerians with this wonderful move as 200,000 households in Lagos will benefit from this pilot scheme that will soon go round.

    Covid-19: Gale of shut downs in Nigeria (updates)

    Rivers, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo and Kogi states lockdown over fear of Covid-19 in Nigeria.

    This is just as Federal Capital Territory, FCT and former capital city Lagos gradually lockdown.

    From all indications if the toll continues to increase Nigeria is bound to finally lockdown by next week.

    Massively produce sachet water

    A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Uzoma Nkem-Abonta has advised the Federal Government to empower rural dwellers to go into massive production of sachet water.

    According to the fourth timer, this will further empower Nigerians and give free access to water during the sit at home period.

    He also advocated that food banks should be created across the country as lack of food may push Nigerians out of their houses.